Of course, freezers as we know them today haven’t always been around. But how exactly did people keep their food from perishing in those times? And when exactly were modern freezers first invented? If you’ve ever pondered the history of your humble freezer, then you’re in the right place. The Reliant tech experts have taken a look into the past, to discover the origins of the humble appliance, and to trace an evolutionary path to the freezers we know and love today.
We’ll take you through every significant step in the history of the freezer, to find out how it became such an irreplaceable appliance in modern homes. Read on below to get started!
Early Fridges And Freezers
Unsurprisingly, the history of the freezer is closely intertwined with the history of the refrigerator. Both appliances have their earliest roots in ancient civilisations that sought to leverage the power of the natural world to protect and prolong the lifespan of various foods!
The history of the freezer dates as far back as thousands of years. Millennia ago, ancient Mesopotamian cultures found that colder food tended to rot at a slower rate. During colder winter months, they discovered that certain foods weren’t perishing quite as quickly as they did during warmer months. So, they set out to create storage solutions that leveraged the benefits of colder weather.
In the times before fridges and freezers, ancient civilisations made use of nature to preserve food. They packed special insulated pits with ice and snow, to create cold conditions, before then filling the pits with food and drink.
To do this, they dug large pits and then insulated them with straw, sand, and other construction materials. Once the pits had been created, they were then filled with snow and ice from nearby mountains or other cold areas. The insulating layer would keep warm air from getting in, while the ice and snow would, of course, keep all of the contained food nice and chilly!
Depending on the weather conditions, food would very often freeze in these ice pits. Of course, it was then found that food that had frozen would last much longer than food that was simply kept chilled!
Iranian Yakhchals
Another ancient method for preserving food was developed in ancient Iran. Known as Yakhchals, these structures operated quite similarly to the pits we described earlier. However, unlike those, they were much larger in size. The walls of the yakhchals, made up of sand, clay and other insulating materials, also featured a conical shape. This unique structure meant that hot air was sent out of the structure, which kept cold air trapped within.
Yakhchals were immensely efficient at keeping foods cool and preserved, but in order to do the job, they needed to be packed with ice and snow. Luckily, many yakhchals were developed with unique ice ponds that generated their own ice. Thus, yakhchals are recognised as one of the first man-made inventions capable of generating ice!
Arguably the first milestone in the lineage of the modern freezer was the invention of the Iranian yakhchal. These were actually some of the first man-made inventions capable of generating ice
To generate ice, the ice pools were filled with water from a nearby reservoir. The Yakhchal was then fitted with a shade wall, specifically designed to protect it from exposure to sunlight. During the winter, nighttime temperatures in Iran very often dipped well below zero. Thanks to the low temperatures, and complete protection from sunlight, the water in the pools quickly turned to ice! This ice was then gathered and stored in the yakhchals to generate cold air.
While yakhchals would not specifically be used for freezing food, their invention marked a special milestone in the history of both fridges and freezers. In fact, yakhchals were such a significant invention that the term “Yakhchal” is still used in Iran to refer to modern fridges and freezers!
Artificial Freezing
It would take a number of centuries for any further innovations to really shake up how we preserved our food. For a number of centuries, civilisations across the world created ice pits and ice boxes of their own. These operated similarly to the early ancient yakhchals, and involved storing ice and snow in large man-made structures.
It would take until the 18th and 19th centuries for any meaningful progress to be made towards the invention of the modern freezer.
1755 – William Cullen
Over the course of the 18th and 19th centuries, countless inventors sought to create artificial means for not only cooling food but also generating ice. One of the earliest attempts at artificial cooling was shown off by William Cullen in 1755.
Cullen created a refrigerating device that boiled a special diethyl ether solution. This caused the ether to evaporate and turn into gas.
In 1755, Scottish inventor William Cullen discovered that evaporating liquids produced a small amount of cold air. He created an early refrigerator that evaporated a special ether to create cold conditions. It was so effective that it even generated ice!
Cullen had previously discovered that the process of evaporating liquids naturally generated a small amount of cold air. Thus, he utilised this principle to create his early artificial refrigerating device. The device proved successful, and it was able to generate consistent cold air that was then trapped within an insulated container.
Cullen’s invention was significant in the development of the modern freezer because it actually resulted in the creation of small pockets of ice. Thus, Cullen had inadvertently created one of the world’s first completely artificial methods for generating ice!
However, Cullen’s appliance wouldn’t prove to be a sales success, so its influence was largely short-lived.
1851 – James Harrison’s Ice Maker
Once again, it would take another few years for any real strides in refrigeration technology to be made. However, in 1851, inventor James Harrison created a fully mechanical ice-maker. While it wasn’t the first ice maker ever made, it would prove to be one of the first successful types. Other versions had been created in prior decades, such as in 1842, by the American inventor John Gorrie. Though these devices were capable of creating freezing conditions, and generating ice, they simply weren’t successful.
Harrison’s ice maker followed many of the principles that had been laid out by many of the inventors before him. The appliance made use of a closed-loop compressor and evaporation system to generate freezing cold air.
In 1851, James Harrison created one of the world’s first truly successful ice makers. This device made use of a closed-loop compressor and evaporation system to create the perfect freezing conditions for creating ice.
Harrison’s early ice maker proved instantly successful. At the time, importing ice was both incredibly costly and incredibly difficult. The invention of the ice maker negated the need for importing ice, which helped many people save mountains of cash!
The First True Freezers
Now that inventors had found a reliable way to generate freezing cold air, the groundwork had been laid to develop some of the world’s first freezers. These devices wouldn’t just be used to make ice, but would be used to freeze perishable goods, to help them last much longer. However, it would take until the 1940s for freezers to really take off.
1860 – The Introduction Of Ammonia
For many decades, early freezers made use of solutions similar to the one introduced by William Cullen. However, though these solutions were effective at creating cold air, they were relatively unreliable. Sometimes, these solutions would simply not be able to generate specific temperatures. Other times, the temperatures would simply fluctuate throughout the day. This was hardly productive when it came to preserving perishable foods!
The frequent failure of early refrigerant solutions led French inventor Ferdinand Carre to equip his future inventions with ammonia instead. Ammonia was far more stable and thus could be relied on to generate highly specific temperatures. This made the refrigerant perfect for freezing foods and keeping them preserved for longer.
However, though ammonia was very effective, it was also incredibly dangerous. Ammonia itself is actually highly toxic to humans, even in just small quantities. This meant that if there were any leaks whatsoever, the owner would be put at direct risk of harm!
By the 1920s, however, ammonia was very slowly phased out of use in fridges and freezers. At this time, electricity was more widely available, so appliances could now be powered almost entirely electronically. Instead of ammonia, future fridges and freezers would make use of the tongue-twisting compound known as “Chlorofluorocarbons”.
Even at this point in time, fridges were capable of keeping ice at subzero temperatures. It was not possible to store food or drink in these compartments.
The 1940s – The First Commercial Freezers
The first-ever commercial freezers were introduced during the 1940s. These were entirely separate appliances, and not merely small ice boxes attached to a larger fridge. They offered more storage space for food and drink, and didn’t need to be tethered directly to a fridge device!
It was only in the 1940s that the world first saw the release of standalone freezers. These were more than simple iceboxes. However, these new standalone freezers would only prove successful after WWII had passed!
However, despite being ready for the market, the introduction of the Second World War saw sales of these early freezers being halted. At the time, manufacturers were instead recruited to join in with the war effort by manufacturing weapons.
1947 – The First Fridge Freezer
With the Second World War now relegated to history, and families across the world looking to build a home, sales of freezers quickly picked up during the latter half of the 1940s. A renewed sense of hope towards the future made families more willing to adopt new technologies.
The renewed hope for the future also incentivised manufacturers to develop brand-new technologies for use in the home. This led directly to the invention of the world’s first fridge freezer. Introduced by General Electric in 1947, this innovative model combined both a fridge and freezer into one single device. This made it highly convenient for those with smaller homes and limited kitchen space.
The release of General Electric’s fridge freezer in 1947 would prove to be a milestone, as fridge freezers are now incredibly common in many households across the globe!
The 1970s – Freezers Become More Energy Efficient
While the early freezers and fridge freezers certainly proved effective at maintaining certain food and drinks, there was no denying the fact that they consumed a lot of electricity. As such, in the 1970s, manufacturers made a concerted effort to reduce the amount of energy being consumed by fridges and freezers.
Nowadays, you can expect a modern fridge freezer to consume only around 1 kWh over a period of just over 24 hours. This makes them much cheaper to operate overall. It’s also been made much easier for consumers to understand which freezer models are the most efficient. Thanks to standardised energy labels, consumers can now see, at a glance, how much electricity a given appliance uses. These labels rank appliances from “G” to “A”, based on how energy efficient they are.
Freezers are now far more efficient than they once were. They’re now equipped with improved parts and all kinds of energy-saving features that cut down on energy waste! This also means they’re now cheaper to operate!
To make freezers and fridge freezers more energy efficient, they were equipped with higher-quality parts and all manner of special technologies.
Modern Freezers
Since the 1970s, freezers have changed in a number of key ways and introduced new technologies. These have helped to not only make them more energy efficient but much more effective at preserving food. Let’s take a look at some of the key ways that freezers have changed over the decades to get us to the models we now recognise today.
Upright Freezers
The earliest freezers were most often made for use in supermarkets, to store frozen goods for purchase. Over time, however, they began entering homes across the world. For many years, domestic freezers generally boasted the same shape as their commercial counterparts. Early freezers were generally chest-shaped and offered a deep storage capacity for stuffing in every last bit of food.
The problem is that the horizontal design of chest freezers made them inconvenient for some households. If space was limited, then a wide chest freezer would simply be an inconvenient option!
The introduction of upright freezers helped to make these vital appliances much more accessible for users across the world. These models took up less floor space but still had an immense storage capacity.
Thus, the introduction of upright freezers in the 1950s proved to be very popular. These freezer models helped users to save on floor space, without sacrificing storage capacity. Instead, the storage space was vertical. To help users take advantage of the storage space, it was equipped with special shelves and drawers. This also made it easier to keep items organised once stored in the freezer!
Frost Prevention
There’s nothing that threatens the operation of a freezer quite like frost buildup. Frost can actually directly impact the function of your freezer, by forcing the motor to work harder to generate the right conditions. Frost can also build up within ventilation ports, and make it incredibly difficult to maintain a consistent temperature. There’s also the fact that frost simply takes up vital freezer space that would be perfect for certain foods.
But, equally as bad as frost buildup is the prospect of tirelessly defrosting a freezer. Defrosting takes a long time and effectively puts your freezer out of commission for a prolonged period. The time-consuming task of defrosting a freezer is counter-intuitive to the intended purpose of the appliance!
Luckily, manufacturers have since accounted for the activity in the design of modern models. Many top-of-the-range freezers now come with anti-frost technologies. These prevent frost from building up inside the freezer, and in some cases can actively handle the task of defrosting for you.
For example, Samsung freezers now come with “No Frost” technology as standard. To create a “No Frost” environment, these freezers make use of a special element that’s capable of melting surface ice. This element works perfectly without interrupting the function of the unit. So, the freezer can melt excess ice without risking putting any food at risk of thawing.
Ice Dispensers
Of course, some of the earliest freezers in existence were specially designed to provide quick and convenient access to fresh ice. Even now, many people use their freezers to store and create ice, for use in creating fresh drinks during warmer times of the year.
To make it easier to access ice, many modern fridge freezers now come with special ice dispensers. These allow the user to quickly access ice without having to dig into the freezer drawers and let all of the subzero air out!
Domestic freezers make it easier for households to access ice at any time. To make it even easier, many modern freezers come equipped with special ice dispensers. These provide access to ice without having to open the freezer door.
Ice dispensers are particularly useful for busy households, as they cut down on downtime with the freezer door kept open, and provide quick and easy access to refreshments.
Climate Classes
Certain types of freezers generally operate best in specific conditions. For instance, some freezers work best in colder rooms, while others are designed for use in much hotter environments.
To make it easier to choose the right kind, manufacturers now mark each model with a distinct climate class. For example, for environments that are described as “Subtropical”, with temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius, the best type of fridge freezer has an “ST” class designation.
Generally, within the UK, the most optimal climate classes tend to be “SN”, “SN/ST”, and “SN/T”. These models are suitable for average temperatures in UK kitchens.
Adjustable Storage
We depend on our freezers to keep all kinds of food and drink fresh and ready for consumption. So, in order to accommodate different needs and demands, many modern freezers are now equipped with adjustable storage solutions. For instance, many freezers allow users to adjust the height of specific shelves within the storage space. This is perfect for making room for slightly unconventional items.
Some freezers also come with adjustable drawers that can be moved around or even removed however the user requires. This makes it easy to store all kinds of stuff without worrying about over-stuffing.
Over-stuffing a freezer can be particularly detrimental, as it can affect overall function. When food is too closely packed together, it’s harder for the cold air to reach all of the items stored within. This puts food at risk of thawing well ahead of time, allowing it to spoil!
Simpler Controls
Modern freezers now allow users to more easily control the temperature inside the freezer. Older freezer models often made use of archaic dials and buttons to control the temperature inside the compartment. These often left users guessing, wondering whether they’d chosen the right temperature for their food and drink.
Now, many modern freezers are equipped with more efficient controls that are a little easier to understand. These modern control panels often make use of LED displays to communicate the exact temperature inside the storage compartment. This eliminates the risk of subjecting items to temperatures that are too high or too low.
Smart Connectivity
Smart devices now populate more than just our pockets. Many of our favourite humble appliances now bear the “Smart” label, including freezers. Smart freezers can be connected directly to the internet, to make them much easier to control and monitor. Via internet connection, smart freezers can actually be connected directly to the user’s smartphone. They can then use their smartphone to control various aspects of the freezer’s function.
Smart freezers can connect directly to the internet, and then directly to the user’s phone. From their smartphone, users can then control every aspect of their freezer. They can even use their phone to monitor the appliance’s energy use!
For instance, Samsung freezers can connect directly to the SmartThings app, while LG freezers can connect directly to the ThinQ AI app.
Through these smart home apps, users can do all sorts. For instance, they can use the app to choose the perfect internal temperature for the device. They can also use the app to monitor the energy usage of the freezer. This allows users to rein in their spending on energy, which in turn helps them to save mountains of cash.
Fast Freeze Functions
When you’re buying brand new frozen goods from the supermarket, it’s important you get them all back home and in your freezer within good time. Refreezing defrosted goods can result in food that’s unsatisfying from both a texture and flavour standpoint.
To help keep your brand-new frozen goods from thawing, modern freezers now come equipped with fast-freeze technology. When fast-freeze is activated, it temporarily changes the conditions in the freezer to sharply lower the temperature. This allows your new items to quickly return to the optimal temperature. Once the food has returned to its optimal temperature, the freezer then returns to the ordinary temperature. This is beneficial because it ensures there’s no risk of the temperature accidentally being left too low!
Improved Door Seals
Door seals are easily one of the most important features in the function of a freezer. They’re instrumental in keeping freezers insulated from outside temperatures and keeping food at the right temperature.
Unfortunately, many early freezers made use of less efficient door seals that were prone to frequent leaks.
Nowadays, modern freezers now boast far-improved door seals that are not only equipped to insulate the freezer compartment but also to prevent the spread of bacteria. Many modern freezers are now equipped with antibacterial door seals that stay healthy even after years of use.
Power Cut Compensation
During a power cut, it’s important to keep the doors of both fridges and freezers firmly shut. This keeps all of the existing cold air trapped within, which prevents foods from thawing or warming up. But in the event of much longer power cuts, just keeping the doors closed might not be enough!
Luckily, modern freezers are now equipped with special failsafe technologies that kick in automatically in the event of a power cut. These technologies can differ quite a bit from model to model. But, essentially, they help to protect you from ending up with mountains of wasted food and a significant dent in your wallet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did They Have Freezers In The 1930s?
Yes, however, they weren’t used in homes. Instead, freezers at the time were exclusively for use in commercial premises like supermarkets. It would take until around 1940 for freezers to start showing up in kitchens around the world. However, it was only in the latter half of the 1940s that domestic freezers proved successful, thanks to the economic boom of the post-war period.
